Christmas Books!

This is the first year in many that I've been home with enough time to kind of get ready for feeling Christmas-y. Working at the library definitely helps, especially since this year I was able to participate in Christmas Around the World. This is a program where we invite kindergarten classes in the city to come and listen to stories, sing songs and build gingerbread houses, (actually graham-cracker houses). I also did a school-age program, and participated in the city's light-up festival earlier this month, where I read stories to kids under a big tree in the lobby of our building.
Some of my favorite Christmas books for these programs were:


Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear -by Don & Audrey Wood

A book with very few words, and where the illustrations and a child's interaction with the book tell a lot of the story.




The Santa Trap -by Jonathan Emmett

I thought this story was pretty funny, but it really is for a more mature child. Bradley is a very naughty boy who only ever gets socks from Santa. Finally he decides to build a trap for Santa Clause, so that he can steal the whole sack of toys. Some of the traps he sets are pretty dark and dangerous; this boy intends not only to trap Santa, but also to do him harm! (He trains tigers to attack, and prepares a guillotine in a door frame). Fortunately, like any Christmas book Bradley gets what's coming to him... socks and antiseptic.


And a Flannelgraph based on The Cobweb Christmas -by Shirley Climo

The kids loved the repetition in this story, and the actions I did with them while telling the story:
"Tante would Nod her head, Rub her hands together and Say..."
This is a really nice story about Christmas Magic and the tradition of tinsel.

I also brought some Christmas picture books home from the library. I got the idea for this from a little book that suggests all kinds of things to help get people in the Christmas spirit. I thought this was such a good idea, since for one thing I love childrens books; but also because when I was younger we always had books that only came out at Christmas-time and we got to rediscover them. I stood them up under our tree and they really look great!
Some of the ones I chose were:


My Penguin Osbert -by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

After a few disappointing Christmas gifts, a little boy decides that he will be very specific in his request to Santa Claus. And finally he gets the gift he wants: A penguin named Osbert. But owning a penguin isn't all the fun one might think.






Christmas Eve Magic -by Lucie Papineau

A Christmas Carol is retold for children in this story about a spoiled and very sad little orphan boy.




Olive the Other Reindeer -by Otto J. Seibold

After hearing a traditional carol on the radio, Olive the puppy begins to believe she is a reindeer. Not only that, but as it's Christmas she is needed at the North Pole!







The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus -by Frank L. Baum

Beautiful illustrations! But I thought the story itself was a little boring. There is a lot of text, and there is hardly any conflict. Every chapter in this story contributes to an explanation for our Santa Myths.



And one that came in new at the Library, which I really liked but was always checked out was:

The Snow Globe Family -by Jane O'Connor

Two families dreaming about snow. One in a house in the world, another inside the snow globe on the mantle. The family within the snow globe reminisce about days when snow storms would rule their days and they could go sledding on giant snow drifts. Now, the snow globe lays forgotten, except a little rustle of snow when somebody accidentally nudges the the globe. Until a new addition to the family outside the globe becomes fascinated by the little house and gentle little flakes.

Umbrella Summer

Title: Umbrella Summer
Author: Lisa Graff
Age: 9-12
Rating: 4/5

Summary: Annie loves to ride her bike, and when she does she always makes sure to wear her helmet, and her elbow pads, her knee pads and her ankle braces. She used to like to have fast races with her best friend, but now they have turtle races. Annie is very cautious, because after her brother died unexpectedly a few months previously, you just never know what could happen.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed reading this. For such a heavy subject as grief, I was preparing myself for feeling low following my reading. But Annie is only 10 years old, and even though so much has happened and she helps to lighten the story by being 10 and trying to live her life as normally (albeit as safely) as she can.

I would recommend this for a child who is grieving, or worrying about their own death. While there is so absolute answer for these stresses there is a gentle reassurance throughout that it is okay to talk about death and grief, that in itself can help alleviate worry and sadness.